Mexico’s World Cup dream, soaring prices shut out local fans

Mexico is about to make history as the first country to host the men’s World Cup three times, but the cost of entry is already turning a national celebration into a luxury purchase. The 2026 tournament will spread 48 teams across 104 matches and 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States, yet Mexico will receive only 13 games, a small slice that has intensified demand in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

That scarcity is most visible in Mexico City, where the newly renovated Banorte Stadium, formerly Estadio Azteca, will stage five matches, including the opening game on June 11, 2026, when Mexico faces South Africa. FIFA’s schedule also lists Korea Republic against Czechia in Guadalajara on June 11 and Mexico against Colombia in Mexico City on June 17, leaving Mexican supporters few chances to see their team in person without paying premium prices.

For Francisco Javier Ferreira, a 70-year-old retiree who attended the 1970 and 1986 World Cups in Mexico, the 2026 tournament has already moved out of reach. He said the first batch of tickets for Mexico’s opener in April ranged from roughly $3,000 to $10,000, a sum far beyond what he can afford on a monthly income of about $1,000. Ferreira said the event feels less Mexican than before and more like a tournament shaped by the United States market.

The backlash has widened as FIFA pushed prices higher for the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. During its April 1 sales reopening, FIFA raised the top listed price to $10,990, while media reports said category 2 seats were priced at $7,380 and category 3 at $5,785. On FIFA’s own resale marketplace, some lower-bowl tickets climbed far higher, with listings reaching nearly $3 million.

FIFA says its pricing reflects standard practices at major sporting and entertainment events across host countries. It also said at least 1,000 tickets would be sold at $60 for every match, including the final, through supporters’ associations. FIFA later formalized that approach with a $60 Supporter Entry Tier for all 104 matches, sold through Participating Member Associations, but only a limited portion of each allocation is reserved at that price.

For Mexico, the contradiction is hard to miss. The country will host the opening game of the biggest World Cup yet, but the people whose passion made its football culture famous are being asked to watch history from outside the stadium.